India captain Shubman Gill was furious at Zak Crawley’s antics as the England opener managed to ensure he and Ben Duckett only faced one over on Saturday evening
Zak Crawley was at the centre of a furious time-wasting row as the Lord’s Test boiled over.
The England opener was confronted by finger-pointing Indian captain Shubman Gill after pulling away twice and then calling for treatment after being rapped on the bottom hand by Jasprit Bumrah. Stump microphones picked up Gill angrily telling Crawley to “grow some f****** balls” after he had called for the physio.
After the third Rothesay Test had been reduced effectively to a two-day shoot-out, with both teams dismissed for 387 in their first innings, England were left to negotiate a thankless six minutes before the close.
Crawley’s “theatrics” ensured they only had to face one over from Indian talisman Bumrah as they reached two without loss – and England bowling consultant Tim Southee summarily dismissed India’s protests, saying: “I’m not sure what they are complaining about.”
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The row ensures Sunday’s pivotal first session will be laced with spice after Crawley and Ben Duckett were forced to pad up when India lost their last four wickets for 11 runs in six overs towards the close.
Fired-up Gill led India’s picket of Crawley, but Southee was quick to remind the Indian captain he was also responsible for the dismal over-rate and time-wasting on both sides.
Southee said: “I’m not sure what they are complaining about when Gill was lying down a getting a massage in the middle of the day (when he was batting) yesterday. It’s obviously part of the game – near the end of the day and an exciting way to finish.
“The end was great – you wait six and half hours of play for something as captivating as that. It sets up a beautiful first hour tomorrow morning because India are going to come (at us) with some gumption.
“It’s pretty even. You toil away for three days and you sit here with a two-run lead. Now we’re looking forward to a two-day shoot-out.”
Indian opener KL Rahul, whose century had earlier frustrated England for five-and-a-half hours, admitted: “I understand from an opening batter’s point of view, it’s something that happens a lot, quite a lot of theatrics at the end.
“I’ve seen Shubman fired up like that before. We wanted to bowl two overs at England tonight and there were six minutes left, but we know for sure how difficult it is to bat for two overs at the end of a long day.
“Even without that finish, I know we would be fired-up tomorrow. It’s effectively back to zero after three days of hard-fought cricket.”
England blew hot and cold in the field, with Jofra Archer bowling 15 consecutive 90mph-plus deliveries on his comeback, skipper Ben Stokes adding a crucial run-out of Rishabh Pant to his 20 overs of sustained hostility and Harry Brook taking four catches.
Medical staff expect England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, forced off the field after damaging the little finger of his left hand spilling a sharp return chance, to be available to bowl in the second innings.